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1832E 


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^-^  I! 


LECTURR  ON  ELOCtJTION, 

PARTICULARLT  WITH  BEPERENCE  TO 

THE  ART  OF  READING; 

DELIVEREP, 
AGREEABLY  TO  APPOINTMENT, 

BEFORE 

THE  NOfeTH  CAROLmA 
INSTITUTE    OF  EDUCATION, 

AT  THEIR 

ANNUAL    MEETING, 
June  20th,  1832. 


BY  HENRY  S.  ELLEN  WOOD,  ESQ. 


NEWBERN: 

PRIliTED  BY  JOHN  I.  PASTEUR, 

1832. 


LECTURE  ON  ELOCUTION, 

PARTICUI:ARLY  WITH  REFERENCE  TO 

THE  ART   OF  READING; 

DELIVERED, 
AGREEABLY  TO  APPOINTMENT, 

BEFORE 

THE  NORTH  CAROLINA 
INSTITUTE    OF   EDUCATION, 

)  AT    THEIR 

ANNUAL    MEETING, 
June  20th,   1832. 


BY  HENRY  S.  ELLEVWOOD,  ESQ, 


NEWBERN: 

PRINTED  BY  JOHN  I.  PASTEUR. 
1832. 


LEC  TUUE,  «fcc. 

— @©©— 

It  is  hoped,  INlr.  President,  lliat  few  persons  liavc  come 
Iiitlier,  on  liiis  occasion,  for  liie  solo  purpose  of  being  enter- 
taini'd.  Tlie  affairs  of  scliool masters  are  ahv.iys  of  a  grave 
cliaracter  ;  and  llie  business  of  instruction  is  calculated,  per- 
haps, least  of  all,  to  aft'urd  amusement.  In  the  very  humble 
part,  vvliicli,  by  liie  invitation  of  our  Committee,  I  am  now 
called  upon  to  enact,  it  is  felt  that  much  indulgence  ought  to 
be  bespoken  for  want  of  due  preparation,  as  well  as  much 
patiencfi  solicited  for  unavoidable  dulness.  Our  aut'.iiors 
should  bear  in  mind,  that  in  the  circle  in  which  an  instriicier 
figures,  he  is  an  undoubted  despot,  whose  nod  is  law,  and 
wliose  edicts  are  ineversible.  Respect  and  obedience  wait 
upon  his  commands.  His  opinions  are  never  disputed,  nor 
is  the  profundity  of  his  wisdom  and  knowledge  ever  su[)posed 
to  be  fathomable.  The  homage  which  is  freely  tendered,  or 
rigidly  exacted  from  his  subjects,  inspires  him  with  lofty  no- 
tions of  his  own  sufFiriency; 

"  While  still  they  gaze,  and  still  tlie  wonder  grows, 
"  That  one  small  head  can  carry  all  he  knows." 
But,  rem.ived,  as  he  now  is,  from  his  appropriate  sphere; 
his  biichen  sceptre  temporarily  laid  aside,  and  no  longer  talk- 
ing and  acting  as  one  having  authoiily  ;  but,  on  the  contraiy, 
hiujself  subject  to  the  scrutiny  of  his  equals,  perhaps  his 
superiors;  the  novelty  and  awkwardness  of  his  situation  may 
be  imagined  to  be  somewhat  oppressive.  In  this  presence 
he  resembles  the  student  who  is  undergoing  an  examination  ; 
has  all  his  hopes  and  apprehensions  ;  and,  like  him,  depre- 
cate* the  severity  of  criticism,  and  invokes  kindness  of 
judgement.  In  this  trial,  however,  he  is  supported  by  two 
considerations  :  1st.  that  he  shall  soon  return  to  his  (onse- 
quential  domination,    which   has   been  suspended   only,  not 


abanrloned ;  and  2cl!y,  thai  they,  who  now  preside  as  his 
jud'' s,  having  il.nnM'lves  07ice  ticnihi.'d  before  a  sinjjle 
teirtier,  can  hnrdly  bo  eniindy  divested  of  awe,  while  behold- 
ing, as  here,  a  congiegntion  of  pedagogues. 

The  subject  assigned  to  niP  by  the  Commitlee,  it  will  be 
remembered,  is  "  E!ocuiion,  with  p<inicuhu  refprence  to  the 
teai  liing  of  Reading."  There  seems  to  be  no  necessity  ihat 
the  word  be  here  ;!ny  further  defined  than  has  already  been 
done  for  me;  r  nd  it  iiiav  be  expected  that  I  confine  myself 
chiefly  to  that  part  of  ihe  subject  which  especially  re!  iies  to 
the  proper  utterance  of  wo.ds,  oi  to  the  manner  ir»  which 
thi'y  should  be  delivered  in  sentences. 

For  the  sake  of  convenience,  sir,  the  importance  of  a  cor- 
rect manner  of  reading  will  be  first  considesed. 

2dly.  The  presrnt  condition  of  the  art  of  Elocution,  and 
the  manner  of  teaching  it. 

3dly.  Such  impiovements  will  be  suggested  as  appear  to 
be  practicable,  and  to  be  demanded  by  our  present  warns. 

With  res'iect  to  the  importance  of  good  reading,  there  is 
probably  only  one  opinion;  but,  so  great  is  ilie  variety  of 
tastes,  to  say  what  it  really  is,  and  what  constitutes  it  may  not 
be  so  easy  a  matter.  It  is  rare  to  find  a  person  who  can  lead 
at  all,  that  does  not  conceive  himself  to  read  well ;  though  it 
Somilimes  happens  otherwise  ;  nnd  in  general  ii  will  be  found, 
thai  s'Jth  even  as  are  unable  to  articulate  their  syllables  dis- 
tinctly ;  such  as  stammer  or  stnMer,  or  have  some  other  im- 
pediment, are  most  addicted  to  read  aloud,  from  a  vain  desire 
of  exhibiting  their  supposed  ability  in  this  matter.  A  good 
reader  we  may  with  piopriety  considei  him  who  is  deemed  to 
b<'  such  by  others,  rather  than  by  himself;  for  it  may  he 
doubted  if  we  are  able  to  determine  tiie  existence  or  non- 
existence of  this  capacit}  in  ourselves,  any  more  than  whether 
we  possess  a  musical  voice,  agreeable  manners,  or  personal 
beauty. 

The  good  reader,  like  the  correct  and  forcible  speaker,  is., 
then  most  eloquent,  when,  engrossed  by  his  subject,  and  intent 
only  upon  the  sentiments  he  delivers,  he  forgets  himself,  and 
has  not  leisure  to  lutn  his  thoughts  upon  the  operations  ol"  his 
OWii  luin  ,  and  far  less  t.pon  hisexteinal  n  aimers.  The  bad 
reader,  with  his  finger  on  the  lint-,  and  his  head  moving  from 


the  beginning  to  the  end  of  it,  is  wltnlly  cmplovod  upon  tiie 
W'irfN.  M>>  (Milns  not  into  t!ie  t'eclins/s  ..u'i  '|>mm  ot  liiv  ;iu- 
tlior.  To  iiim  tiie  commonest  lemaik,  and  llic  iinl.dcsi  bdist 
of  eniluisiMsm,  are  ihe  same  ihin),%  and  nre  bnih  pronounced 
in  the  same  dull  and  mono'onDiis  m mni  i.  Ho  »^xliil;iis  no 
vaiiety  in  eni|. basis  or  cadence,  in  lone  or  infleclioii  ;  and  at 
th(!  close  of  his  labour,  which  cm  be  asciMtained  only  by  ids 
cb-'siiig  the  book,  has  neither  communicated  nor  re<:eived  m- 
struciion  or  entertaiiimeni.  Good  reading  may  be  compared 
to  certain  matliema.ical  diagrams,  which,  by  means  of  curves 
and  anyles  tasiefully  combined  and  coniinually  varying,  de- 
light the  e\'  ;  a  delivery  of  an  opposite  kind,  to  the  direct 
line,  whicli  a  singli-  glance  is  sufficient  to  appichend,  and 
which  is  not  the  more  agieeable  wlien   infinitely  extended. 

To  remark,  sir,  that  speech  is  a  distinguishing  characteris- 
tick  of  the  imman  species,  were  lo  express  a  mere  triii>m. 
Bii'  It  may  i>ot  be  considered  quite  so  commonplace  to  ohsei  ve, 
thai  by  nothina  is  the  degree  of  mental  culiure  more  distiiicly 
evidenced,  ihan  by  the  tones  of  the  voice,  and  ihe  peculiar 
manner  of  utterance.  Who,  that  should  listen  lo  the  conver- 
sations of  a  well-educated  citizen,  anth  an  uniutoied  rn^ii<  k, 
could  mistake  the  one  tor  the  oi'iei  ?  And  whai  isjnorant  or 
hall-insti  ucted  person  would  fail  to  exjiose  himself,  in  good 
company,  by  reading  aloud  even  a  half  column  Irom  a  news- 
pa  pei  1 

But,  sir,  a  correct  and  agreeable  manner  of  reading  is  of 
far  less  im(>oria!>ce,  in  relation  to  others,  ihan  to  the  indiviu'ual 
reader  himself.  A  person  may  be  physically  incapable  of  a 
distinct  and  proper  utteiance  ;  and  yei  he  mt^y  have  a  mind 
susceptible  of  hisih  culiivatioii,  ami  be  as  much  advantaged  as 
oiheis  by  judicicjus  inslruclion  in  Elocution.  The  l<;st  pur- 
pose, sir,  for  which  any  branch  of  literary  knowledge  should 
be  either  communicated  or  sougul,  would  appear  to  l3e  iliat 
of  mere  display.  Uiiiily  ougiit  to  be  the  end  kept  in  vitvv; 
and  the  question  to  b'  pi  opcised  to  ourselvt^s,  vviien  engaged 
in  the  study  of  any  art  orscieme,  should  be,  what  solid  good 
is  lo  be  derived  from  this?  rather  than,  How  will  it  nic.kc  us 
apptar  lo  advantage  1 

It  ii  IS  been  tciu  iiknl  that  the  ability  to  read  well  is  (f  more 
impoi'lance  to  its  possessoi  than  to  others,     in  general,  such 


6 

as  iiiav  be  deiiominatncl  reading  persons,  peruse  volmno  jiftcr 
volume  in  siieiicc  aiuJ  i(".irem>;ni.  rSul  a  wliispcr  is  lienrd, 
nor  ii  luovpmcnt  of  the  lips  discovered.  Yet,  wlien  thus  em- 
ployed, tlieir  mental  utterance  (if  tiie  expression  be  allow- 
able) exactly  resembles  tiiai  which  is  aiidihlr.  They  seem  to 
hear  the  precise  pronuricialion,  tones,  emphasis  and  cadences 
which  would  have  been  given  lo  the  same  words  if  read 
aloud:  and  this  readinc:  is  performed  with  vastly  more  rapid- 
ity than  that  which  reqtiircs  liu^  voice  ;  because  the  mind 
can  conceive  more  expediiiously  than  the  or<rans  of  s[)ercli 
can  express.  Is  it  not  then  a  matter  of  importance  hoiv  this, 
by  far  the  greatest  quantity  of  all  reading  and  study,  is  [)er- 
fornied  ? 

Books,  sir,  constitute  the  great  reservoir  of  all  the  learning 
that  has  ever  existed  ;  and  they  are  destined  to  keep  in  store 
the  discoveries  of  all  the  times  to  come.  They  serve  also 
as  imperishable  memorials  of  the  illustrious  instructers  and 
benefactors  of  our  race.  Various  as  are  the  lanijuasres  in 
which  they  are  written,  they  furnish  to  the  able  reader,  and 
to  him  only,  the  means  of  understanding  them.  And  the 
subjects  upon  which  they  treat,  include  every  thing  that  can 
concern  us  as  intellectual,  moral,  and  immortal  beincs.  To 
have  an  adequate  idea,  therefore,  of  the  immense  number,  and 
inestimable  value  of  books,  is  to  be  able  lo  appreciate  justly 
the  ability  to  read  them  with  ease  and  propriety. 

With  respect,  sir,  to  the  way  in  which  young  persons  are 
now  taught  the  art  of  Reading  (wlsich  is  what  we  proposed 
next  to  consider,)  it  is  to  be  regretted  that  nothing  favourable 
can  be  alleged.  As  far  as  can  be  known,  even  children  are 
permitted,  in  this  particular,  lo  be  their  own  instru<  ters, 
without  much  interference  on  the  part  of  teachers.  The 
opinion  of  the  erudite  Mr.  Cade,  that,  while  "  eating  and 
drinking  are  acquired  abilities,  reading  and  writing  are  gifts 
of  nature,"  seems,  in  a  great  degree,  to  have  obtained.  Or- 
thography, (such  as  it  is,)  receives  eveiy  where,  if  not  so 
much  as  it  deserves,  at  least  a  liberal  share  of  attention.  By 
some  means  or  other,  the  most  unlettered  have  imbibed  a  pro- 
found respect  for  the  mysterious  art  of  spelling  ;  perhaps 
because,  as  it  happens  to  be  the  first  step  on  the  ladder  of  sci- 
ence, it  is  the  only  one  with  which  they  have  the  honour  of 


an  acqiiaiiitancc.  This  tospi^ct  is  peculiarly  loi  tuiiate  ;  for 
tliere  is  no  tcllinrr  w!ia!  vvouUi  brcoine  of  us  if  we  could  not 
spell.  lu  reading  lessons,  it  is  rare  tiiat  the  teacher  feels 
himself  called  u])Oii  to  do  more  than  to  clierk  a  too  rapid 
manner,  to  correct  a  word  miscalled,  and  to  insist  upon  a  loud 
voice;  and  their  pupils  t;row  up  under  the  impression  that 
nothing  further  is  requisite.  He  inav  possibly  require  them 
to  take  mote  jj(7<HS  in  their  lessons,  to  study  «'itb  more  care, 
to  endeavour  to  improve  themselves  ;  but  he  furnishes  no 
means  for  this  purpose;  he  ^ives  no  intelligible  directions  ; 
lie  sets  no  example ;  nor  arc;  lliey  able  to  discover  what  is  meant 
by  good  reading.  To  tiie  school  books,  also,  we  may  lof)k,  for 
_Vei  another  cause  of  the  little  progress  in  this  branch  of  learn- 
ing. These  are  generally  purchased  at  the  neatest  village,  o'" 
store,  with  very  little  regard  to  their  fitness,  so  they  be  cheap, 
and  embellished  with  ridiculous  pictures.  The  proper  selec- 
tion of  books  is  of  much  more  importance  than  is  commonly 
thought.  They  teacli  the  teachers;  they  are  always  conceiv- 
ed to  be  correct  ;  and  Irom  the  book  there  is  no  appeal. 
Webster's  famous  "standard  of  pronunciation,"  was  obliged, 
long  ago,  to  give  place  to  beitei  competitors,  in  all  the 
northern  cities,  and  every  where  else,  when  people  have  in- 
vestigated its  demerits.  Bui,  like  the  inhabitants  of  its  native 
region,  being  endued  with  the  spirt  of  emigration,  it  has  pro- 
bably established  itself  forever  in  the  Stjuih.  Nor  is  there, 
among  us,  any  lack  of  works  more  particularly  indigenous, 
which,  though  compiled  by  persors  notoriously  destitute  of 
qualifications  to  direct  even  the  first  footsteps  of  children,  are 
yet  forced  into  fashion  by  recoinm("ndation>,  co-erced  by  im-  / 

pv)rtunity  or  pity,  from  such  as   occupy   the    iiigh  places   of  / 

learning  ! 

It  was  proposed,  sir,   to    suggest,    in  the  third   place,  such  / 

improvements  as  seemed  to  be  at  once  j^racticable  and  adapted 
to  our  wants. 

That  the  duty  of  an  instructor  comprises  something  more  j 

than    the    mere   hearing  of  a  les  on,   "  without   note  or   com-  J 

nient,"   will  not    be  here  denied  :   and  yet   we   have  asserted  i 

that  this  is  nearly  all  which  is  done  in  most  of  our  common 
scliouls.  In  the  other  depaitments  of  learning,  such  as 
Grammar,  and  Geography,  and  Arithmetick,  were  he  thus  a 


8 

speclator  only,  a  mere  "  looker  on  in  Venice,"  a§  respects 
tin;  ie'<-uns,  ii  would  be  «liffieiiil  to  conceive  how  iie  "very 
rcv(rMiui  and  lionoui-ible  fraiernity  of  Sciiooltna:Uer*,"  as 
Ml.  Diiwortii  quite  civilly  denoniinntetli  tlivMii,  could  be 
otiiervvise  efficient,  ilitn  as  valiint  wielders  of  the  ferula  dud 
the  rod,  for  the  punisliment  and  reclamation  of  refractory 
spirits. 

Thf;  first  object  that  demands  the  attention  of  parents  and 
teiiciiers,  when  a  child  is  M-nt  to  schdol,  is  the  seleciion  of  a 
primer,  or  first  book.  This  should  be  of  a  small  slzf,  ihat 
the  piijjii  ivcty  hn\c  the  giatificdtion  of  soon  geiting  tiiioiigli 
it;  ■u\d  l'.-a;iUly  printed,  on  jroofl  paper,  ih^it  e.ich  letter  may 
di>viiM  ily  ippear.  Tiie  spelliiig  lessons  slioohi,  of  coiiise, 
be,  Ii  fiist,  as  sim|ile  -\nd  easy  as  possible,  and  increased  in 
diffiruhy  by  s  ow  degrees;  Hnd  till  the  present  lesson  is  mas- 
teied,  anoihe;  should  not  be  reqviired  of  liim.  Rending  es- 
sons  -ij^iit  by  al!  nieims  to  accompany  the  spelling  ones, 
begioning  ivuh  syllables  nf  uvo  leif^rs  <jn)y,  and  inking  care 
to  graduate  the  one  by  the  other.  In  this  way,  may  reading 
be  taught  along  with  orthography  wiih  manifest  advantage  to 
boili  ;  rind  if  the  teacher  will  condescend  to  take  part  in  these 
les>  iits,  i.  e.  10  read  and  spell  them  himself,  at  least  occa- 
sitiualiy,  liis  little  charge  will  be  much  encouraged  in  his  pro- 
gress. To  supervise  these  first  ende:>vours  of  a  child  in  the 
acquisition  of  knowledge;  to  adapt  one'^  stride  to  /lis  slow 
and  hoiibling  step  over  thr-  threshold  of  learning,  is  unq  <es- 
tionably  on  the  oart  of  some  insirurters,  a  descent  from  high 
things  to  low.  But  it  is  as  possible  to  stoop  with  dignity,  as 
to  rise  vvitu  feeling  :  and  "  teacher  even  of  irabes"  will  be 
less  likely  to  provoke  the  contempt  if  liberal  philosophers 
than  of  such  as  are  themselves  profound  in  little  that  is  be- 
yotid  the  alphabet. 

The  primer  having  been  gone  through,  the  next  may  be 
the  spelling  book;  and  in  this,  as  in  the  preceding,  the  read- 
ing lessons  must  go  in  iiand  with  the  spelling.  Tiiey  should 
be  repeated  again  and  again,  and  not  left  for  those  in  advance 
till  ihey  become  easy,  and  well  understood.  Whenever 
a  word  is  misaccentuaied,  whenever  the  proper  emphasis  is 
onnru'd.  or  i>isp'  iCi  .i,  the  insti  j^ier,  h_v  his  own  examr.Iej 
should   set  the   matter  right.     Lpon  his  entrance  into  this 


Second  book,  the  pupil  should  be  taught  the  peculiar  forms 
of  'lif  six  si  «ps,  or  points,  and  their  ust*;  and  he  shouJiJ  be 
required  to  name  ilu-m,  as  ihey  occur  in  his  lessons  fiom 
tinir-  to  time,  till  they  b(;come  as  familar  to  him  as  any  of  the 
letters.  When  it  is  considered  that  these  stops  meet  ns  in 
every  sentence  that  we  peruse,  it  cannot  but  be  thought  sur- 
prisinisf,  that  the  great  majority,  even  of  good  readers  are 
not  ashamed  to  be  totally  ignorant  of  punctuation.  Because 
these  stops  are  small  things,  they  are  erroneously  supposed 
to  be  insignificant.  The  blame  of  this  should  be  shared 
between  the  school  books  and  the  teachers  :  for  when  the 
former  asserts  that  a  comma  requires  a  patise  while  wc  may 
count  one  ;  a  semicolon  while  we  count  two  ;  it  conveys  but 
litiln  useful  information.  The  naming  of  the  stops  in  read- 
ing will  mike  them,  after  a  while,  thorf)Ughly  intelligible; 
and  will  b.sides,  coerce  the  student  to  moderate  his  course, 
if  he  incline  to  read  loo  fast — the  most  common,  as  w.  II  as 
the  most  difficult  fault  into  which  learneis  fall. 

At  the  h  izard  of  being  tedious,  sir,  I  will  dwell  a  moment 
longer  U|)on  the  subject  of  punctuation  ;  because  a  risrht 
understanding  of  it  is  conceived  to  be  an  almost  indispen"?iable 
requisite  in  a  correct  style  of  reading.  Ii;stead  of  requiring 
mere  p  mses,  then,  the  principal  use  of  the  stops  is,  to  mark 
the  places  at  wliich  simple  sentences  terminate,  and  the  clau- 
ses of  compound  ones  diverge  ;  and  they  dv-mand  rather 
appropriate  tones  or  inflections  of  voice.  These  infle(  tions 
are  but  two  in  number,  the  rising  and  the  falling,  and  ihey 
are  indicated  by  the  acute  and  grave  accents.  When  ex- 
plained and  illustrated,  experience  has  proved  that  these  are 
not  beyond  the  understanding  even  of  children.  Nearly  as 
soon  as  the  leirner  is  abb-  to  comprehend  that  a  number  of 
words  may  be  so  arr-uiged  as  to  make  sense,  he  will  per- 
ceive or  can  be  m  tde  to  perceive,  the  frequent  recurrence  ot 
the  stops.  If  at  this  time  his  attention  be  not  drawn  to  them  ; 
if  ihey  are  permitted  to  be  habitually  skipped^  as  the  school 
phrase  is,  will  he  be  likely  afterward  to  look  upon  them  as 
worthy  of  notice  ?  Bui  if  ihey  are  called  by  their  names  ia 
reaiiing,  if  they  ate  properly  remarked  on  and  explained,  he 
will  always  remember,  ihat,  like  every  other  ihing  in.  his 
book,  they  are   not    without   use  and  significancy.      In  this 

B 


19 

way  to  leach  punctuation,  togothpr  with  reading:,  may  possi- 
bly m;ike  thf  lai;r-r  sorDowliaf  more  laborious  ;  but  not  so 
much  more  so  as  at  first  would  seen).  And  the  instrutler 
who  shall  m  ikp  the  experiment,  will  find,  even  in  a  short 
time,  abundant  encuurij^ement  to  ailopt  the  practice. 

Of  the  six  stops,  three  of  them,  viz:  ihe  semicolon,  colon, 
and  period,  require  ahvf»ys  the  fnlling  inflection  ;  which  is 
that  peculiar  tone  of  the  voice  denoiing  a  sentence  to  be 
finished.  To  this  rule,  at  once  simple  and  comprehensive, 
the  exceptions,  in  books  correctly  priiifed,  are  surprisingly 
few  ;  ,ind  it  would  be  difficult  to  point  out  one,  the  obser- 
vance of  which  would  contribute  more  to  the  facility  of  de- 
livery and   to  the  perspicuity  of  sentences. 

Of  the  comma,  which  is  the  stop  in  most  frequent  use, 
the  iHHrner  should  be  lold  that  ii  can  never,  with  propriety, 
have  the  falling  inflection.  It  indicates  only  a  suspension, 
or  diversion  of  the  sense  ;  and  sometimes  requires  a  short 
pause. 

Tlie  note  of  exclamation,  and  the  interogativo  point) 
challpnge,  in  their  management,  much  more  care  and  jodg- 
men(,  since  thev  can'iot  be  brougln  within  the  operation  of 
few  rules,  but  require  many.  These  meet  us  in  reading  more 
seldom  than  the  others;  and  as  learned  doctors  themselves 
raitjlit  disagree  in  matters  involving  much  discrimination,  any 
positive  directions  iu  these   premises,  will  not  be  expected. 

Leaving  now  the  dull,  and  seemingly  trivial  subject  of 
stops  and  marks,  wi'h  which  the  student  may  be  supposed  to 
be  tolerably  aiquainted,  we  may  next  put  into  his  hands  a 
book  of  promiscuous  Reading  Lessons,  and  a  Diction  iry. 
Ami  here,  if  the  poor  fellow  have  been  drilled  according  to 
Wi-bsler's  rules  for  new  recruits,  which  are  found  in  no  books 
but  Webster's,  his  progress  in  learning  must  inevitably  be 
"  an  advance  backwards  ;"  in  other  words,  he  must  unlearn 
a  considerable  part  of  what  he  has  been  taught,-  both  in  or- 
thoepy and  spelling.  His  chambers  must  be  changed  to 
chambers ;  his  angels  must  be  iiurled  from  their  splieres;  iiis 
banished  ^  must  ue  recalled  to  the  publick;  and  U,  sii,  be 
brought  back  again  to  honour  and  favour. 

The  subject  of  modern  school  hooks  would  not  again  be 
advened  to,  were  it  not  for  the  multitudes  of  them  that  are 


11 

almost  daily  obtruded  upon   us,  their  general  worthlcssness, 

ani  wi,  .1  .;j.i,  .;liii.M  llll,)udeace  (it'  lii'-ii  pifuiisiu  ij.  i  lie 
niLTf  liik'S  of  the  works  on  education,  even  ol  Ainciican 
niJiiiuf.icmre,  which  modesilv  arroj^-ite  to  tiiemselves  the  nitrit 
of  SLi, (plying  im[ji)rt.int  desiderata,  would  fill  volumes.  vVe 
liiivc  "  Suro  Giiidns,"  .ind  "  GcogiMphies  Mnde  Easy,"  and 
"  Ri-idy  Rpckooers,"  and  "  lnif)roved  Granimais,"  and 
"  National  Readers,"  world  without  end  ;  every  one  of  which 
is  vastly  preferable  to  all  others  on  tiie  subject  thai  the  vvxrld 
has  seen,  as  is  fully  proved  by  certificates  of  recommenda- 
tion from  scores  of  sapient  Divines  and  Professors,  Gov- 
ernors and  Judges,  Squires  of  high  and  low  degree,  most  po- 
tent erave  and  Reverend  Preceptors  of  Academies,  and  par- 
ticularly by  those  most  ca()able  of  forming  a  just  judgement, 
the  learned  and  disinterested  authors  thentselves!  The  grand 
stimulus  to  such  stupendous  itiempts  to  enlighten  and  benefit 
the  age,  is  unquestionably /jecM/n'ary /jrq^^;  but  this  is  not  the 
only  stimulus.  There  is,  sir,  in  many  minds,  possibly  in  all, 
a  covetous  desire  of  everlasting  fame,  a  "yearning  after  im- 
mort^ility,"  a  propensity  to  cast  "  longing,  lingering  looks 
behind."  One's  name  on  the  title  page,  even  of  a  mere  se- 
lection or  spelling  book,  has  an  imposing  appearance,  and 
may  be  read  tu  one's  honor  and  glory,  a  hundred  years 
to  lome.  There  is  no  telling  how  various  are  the  paths 
by  which  "  low  ambiiion"  travels  to  petty  lUstinction ;  nor 
wo'ilu  his  career  be  worthy  of  the  least  regard,  were  he  n<)t 
busv  in  elbowing  his  belters  out  of  theii  places.  [t  may 
well  be  questioned,  sir,  if  the  mordern  elementary  fonnida- 
ries  and  text  books  can  justly  claim  superiority  to  those  in 
vogue  fifty  years  ago.  In  these,  alteration  has  pressed  upon 
the  heels  of  alteraiion,  wiiih-  improvement  has  rarely  been 
obtained.  The  works  of  Mr.  Lindley  Murray,  a  countryman 
of  our  own,  and  an  honor  both  to  his  own  and  to  his  adopted 
country,  are  certainly  meant  to  be  ex-rapied  trom  any  shaie  of 
that  rebuke  which  some  other  publications  m  ly  be  ihougiit  to 
de-e'  ve.  His  ernrnmar  owes,  prtjbably,  whatever  deficiency  in 
method,  and  incompleteness  in  execution  may  be  supposed 
to  I  haracterize  it,  as  much  to  the  extent  and  diffiruliy  of  the 
subject  as  io  his  w  int  of  ability  ;    and    is,    on    tiie  whole,  the 

best  practical  treatise  extant.     The  English  Header,  which 


13 

liRS   lon^   had   a    \v\Ap  cirnilaiion   in    both  hpniisphercs,  still 
retaiits    its    iinpi  eiedpnted    popularity    in  nil  places  wl!(it=  no 
little  great    man's  selection  supplants   ii,  ihrouglioui  ilu    im- 
mense space,  perhaps,  of  a  whole  county!     The  niatpiial,>    if 
the  Reader,  having  been  drawn  from   the  purest    fountains  of 
English  literature,  vvith  such  delicacy   as   in  no  degieo  to  dis- 
turb the   sedimeni,    may  be   presented   to  the   young    without 
danger  of  vitiating    the  taste,  or  intoxicating  the  brain  ;   and 
how   often   soever  they    tre    used,   they  seem   to  have  always 
a  new  and  agreeable  flavour.      It  would  noi  be  easy,  eiihcr  to 
assign  sufficient   reas ms  f'oi  the  exclusion    of  this  book  liom 
our  schools,   or   to   prove,  satisfactorilx ,  ihat   a  better  substi- 
tute, in  tile  main,  can  be  a-lopled.      Wlien    there    is  no  obvi- 
ous and    certain    advantage    to    be  gained   by  the    change  of 
one  class  book    for  another    similar    in    kind,   the   old   <aight 
noi    to    be    discarded,    if  for   no    better    reason,  because   the 
insidicter,    being    more    familiar    with   its    contents,    vmII    be 
better  qualified    to  rectify  any  mistake  into  wbnh  tlie  student 
may  hill.      There    is    no   doubt,    thai  from  the    w(>ik>-  ol   the 
most  eloquent  English    writers,  a   hundred  volumes  mighi  be 
compiled,  in  all  respects  as  well  calculated  for  proper  lessons 
in  elocution  as  those   of  the   Reader.      But  we  have  no  i.eed 
of  them.      Being    well    provided  for  we   can  more  pi  oft  ably 
avail  ourselves  of  the  facilities  we  have,  than  spend  onr  time 
in  noliing  else  but  to  discover  and  adopt  "  son)e  new  thing." 
U,.on  liis  entrance    into    the    Reader,   the    student  should, 
fiom  time   to   time,    be    refened  to    the    excellent   directions 
found  in  tlie  introduction.      These  were  taken,    chiefly,  liom 
Sheiidan's    Lectures  on  Elecuiion,  and  are  divided  into  >liort 
secjions,  embracing    "  proper  loudness  of  voice,  distinctness, 
due  decree  of  slowness,  propriety    of  pronunciation,   empha- 
sis, tones,    pauses,    and    the    manner  of  reading  verse.      The 
limits  of  a  single  lecture  will  not    permit    that    these   matters 
be  M-parately  considered,  as  theii  importanie  justly  deseives. 
It  must,    herefore,  suffice  merely    to    refer    to   them,   and    to 
lament  that  they  have    been    able,    hitherto,    to  attract,  in  so 
small  a  degree,  the  careful  attention  of  teachers.      In   a  n.-te 
app.  nded  to  the  first  chapter  of  the    Reader,    the    author  in- 
foims  us  that  he  has    there    "  exhibiied    sentences    m  a  ^reat 
variety  of  construction,  and  in  all  the  diversity  of  punctuation;" 


13 

which,  "  if  well  practised  i)p(»n,  he  presumes  will  fully  pre- 
pare iIk^  voiing  I  O'tdtM"  tor  the  v;irioiis  pnusi  ^■,  "irillei  ;ions  anu 
nindiilaiions,  that  (lie  succpediiiu;  pieces  requirt." 

The  orilioep)',  or  proiuinciation  of  woids,  introduced  by 
Walker,  has  becDfDe  standard  in  all  our  iiieher  instiliilions, 
and  sjididd  be  liie  only  one  acknouledeed  as  authority  in  com- 
mon schools.  This  pronunci.iiion,  iiowever,  hnving  not  yet 
been  adopted  by  the  gn-al  mass  of  unlettered  people,  reqi  ires 
for  that  reason,  tlie  particular  attention  of  the  instrurter. 
The  studeni  ou^ht  frc-quMitly  to  be  sent  to  his  dictionary, 
with  tiie  key  to  which,  as  well  as  wiih  all  llip  vowel  marks 
and  accents,  h^  shoidd  bo  made  tiioront^ldy  acquainied.  The 
authoriiy  and  consequent  usefidness  of  this  ulmir.dilp  work 
are  sometimes  considerably  itnpaired  by  the  leachf-r's  non-con- 
formiiv  wiih  a  few  of  its  peculiarities.  lie  abides  by  Walker 
in  lue  main,  but  does  noi  approve  of  him  in  some  insiam-i  s  ; 
he  t  annul  bring  liimMdf  to  pnfci  sA_y  and  leisure  and  jjonr, 
to  sky  and  leisure  -tntl  pour.  Tlure  may  be  a  spice  ot  v.iii- 
ty  iu  iiiis  independence  of  opinion,  and  there  can  be  liiile 
qut'siion  lh;it,  on  the  wiiole,  it  were  better  in  all  cises  to 
sub  nil  implicitly  to  good  authoriiy  tlian  to  "  be  carried  about 
witli  every  wind  of  doctrine." 

It  would  -etMi),  sir,  that  the  hearing  of  lessons  in  reading 
indivulually,  raihei  than  by  classes,  mii'hi  be  attended  with 
advantage.  Let  the  s  udent,  who  is  sofficit-nily  advanced, 
be  alliwed  tlie  privilege  too,  of  selecting  his  own  bsson. 
Tins  should  be  read  near  the  teacher's  table,  imhiss 
his  voice  be  low  and  faint:  in  which  case,  the  most  distant 
pari  lif  the  school  room  will  be  his  proper  place.  In  choosing 
his  h'sson,  it  will  soon  be  discovered,  that  he  has  his  favourite 
pit'Ces,  wiiich  he  will  natur  dly  endeavour  to  prououm-e  in 
the  best  uianner  he  is  able;  :  And  if  he  often  choose  the  same 
piece,  his  increasing  acquaintance  witti  it,  will  cause  it  to  be 
somewhat  improved  upon  every  repetition.  It  were  better, 
also,  that  a  considerable  proportion  of  tlu-  reading  lessons  be 
in  verse;  and  better  still,  il,  being  committed  to  mfmorv, 
they  bo  read  or  spoken  occasionallv,   at    least,  without  liook. 

With  regard  to  declamatory  exercises  in  school,  unlh^ss 
judiciously  adapted  to  the  capacities  of  young  persons,  or 
permitted  to  the  best  readers  only,  they  had  better  be  seldom 


14 

introduced,  or  wholly  omintnl  ;  unlfiss,  as  rarely  happens, 
thf' ic:ichpr  hn  }((•.  ill  ulv  q'Miified  to  insiriin  in  such  mwiprs. 
And  it  is  especially  doubllnl  if  tht?  spouiing  of  humorous 
pieces,  for  which  most  dechiimcrs  h;ive  a  his^h  relish,  is,  in 
ai.y  frood  decree,  aiixiiiiiry  to  tlie  acquirements  of  a  correct 
and  tastet'ul  Elocution. 

I  will  trouble  you,  sir,  with  but  one  sii^trestion  more  on 
the  subject  of  improvinc;  the  present  methods  of  leaching  the 
art  of  Reading  ;  and  ihis  is,  that  tiie  insirucier  liimself  read 
daily,  a  short  lesson  at  least,  and  a  long  one  if  ho  can,  to 
his  pupils;  while  they  shall  be  required  to  supervise  him,  and 
correct  his  mistakes.  A  schoolboy  is  always  delighted  to 
have  the  power  of  retorting  upon  his  teacher ;  and  to  acquire 
this  power,  he  will  look  over  him,  while  reading,  with  atten- 
tion and  vigilance.  By  this  plan,  an  excellent  opportunity  is 
offorded  for  exemplifying,  not  only  what  is  considered  good 
reading,  but  also  all  the  faults  and  blunders,  into  which  the 
heedless  are  apt  to  i<\\\.  ^'^Iter  est  breve  jicr  exempla,^^  said 
Seneca  long  ago  ;  and  the  truth  is  corroborated  by  all  experi- 
encp.  I  am  confident,  tliat  whoever  shall  attempt  to  reduce 
this  iiint  to  pr;iciice  will  have  reason  to  be  pleased  with  his 
success.  Indeed  it  seems  to  me  there  is  no  way  bv  wiiich 
a  siiident  may  be  more  fhoroi'ghly,  and  expeditiously,  and 
agreeably  instructed,  than  by  his  teacher's  participating  with 
him,  as  far  as  possible,  in  all  his  pursuits;  sympathizmg  with 
liiu)  in  all  his  difficuliies,  enterine  into  all  his  feelings,  and 
amalgamating,  as  it  Wi-re,  Ins  own  mind  wiiii  that  of  his  pupil. 

I  will  delay  you,  sir,  but  a  moirient  longer. 

If,  in  what  ha^  been  thus  imperfectly  advanced,  there  shall 
have  been  discovered  nothing  thai  is  new,  no  feeling,  sir,  of 
regiPt  or  mortification  will  be  indulged.  The  path  in  which 
th<"  flowers  and  the  thorns  of  knowledge  are  to  be  n^et  with, 
having  been  trodden  for  thousau'ls  of  years,  must  necessirily 
be  rite:  but  it  is  the  old  way,  the  tried  way,  the  safe  way; 
and  ihey  may  assuredly  be  suspected  ot'  presumption,  who 
would  block  it  up,  and  allure  our  feet  into  new  directi'.ns. 
At  this  seat  of  science,  it  is  giaiifviiie  to  enter  a  firm,  thmigh 
humble  protest,  against,  not  only  those  innumerabh-  eiuca- 
tion-l  hooks  whi.  inno\  'w  upon  ■■Ui-  established  theories  of 
teaching;   but  against  all   those  time-saving  plans,  schemes 


15 

and  systems  of  iiislniction,  to  whid!  these  times  liavo  given 
bir'i),  ;ui(l  wliicli  Imvo  noiliiiiij  to  lecomincml  'licm  ''Ui  tjiat 
tiK'V  art;  of  yt'-'it'i  day.  AtiHs  ago  it  was  derlait-d,  lliai  there 
is  no  sl'.ort  road  to  kiiowU'dge  ;  yet  how  niany  are  now  d  lys 
waadfiing  ovit  of  their  way  in  search  of  ii  !  Arc  we  not  now 
fold  that  English  Grammar  may  be  thoroiieldy  learned  in 
seven  weeks?  Astronomy  in  a  couple  of  lectures  ?  Penn:an- 
ship  in  three  days?  And  as  for  Arithmetick,  the  modern 
inductive  method  dispenses  with  all  rules,  and  declares  a  war 
of  extermination  even  against  slates  and  pencils  ! 

Bui,  with  all  these  boasted  improvements,  will  it  be  pre- 
tended, sir,  that  ijenuine  learning  is  really  in  a  more  prosperous 
condiiion?  Are  we  indeed  belter  penmen  and  grammarians 
and  geogsaphers  and  arithmeticians  than  were  our  fathers? 
or  may  we  not  say,  with  reference  to  these  things,  "  that  the 
former  times  were  better  than  these  V 

II  is  perhaps  a  good  rule,  to  look  with  suspicion  npon  all 
attempts  to  substitute,  for  what  has  been  long  known  and  ap- 
proved, any  new  and  untried  scheme.  The  tests  of  experi- 
ence, and  the  sanctions  of  time,  are  not  to  be  disregarded. 
Important  discoverii-s  may,  it  is  true,  yet  be  made;  btit  this 
by  no  means  pioves,  ihit  every  thing  is  floating  in  uncertainty; 
thai  nothing  ha^  reached  its  acme  ;  that  all  the  antecedent  ge- 
nerations of  men  weie  fools.  After  all,  there  is  not  commonly  so 
much  iill'Mt-nce  in  systems,  paiticularly  in  those  liiat  concern 
education,  as  is  sometimes  imagined.  Often  iiave  we  detect- 
ed an  old  tiling,  under  the  guise  of  a  novel  and  high-sounding 
name  ;  and  there  are  doubtless  many  people  of  refinement 
among  us,  too  proud  to  take  lessons  in  Reading  and  Writing, 
who  would  nevertheless  jump  at  an  opportunity  to  learn 
Chirography  and  Elocution  ! 

No  new  idans,  of  teaching  or  of  learning  how  to  read,  are 
now  submitted  to  you,  Mr.  President,  for  ilie  very  plain  reason, 
that  the  old  ones  are  judged  to  be  all-sufficient,  and  no  better 
can  be  conceived  of,  Tbrre  will  be  little  need  of  further 
discoveries  in  this  art,  if  insttucters  will  faithfully  avail  them- 
selves of  means  which  have  been  long  provided  ;  if  they 
will  but  aspire  to  be  "  teachers  of  words,  and  not  hearers 
onl\."  By  precept  and  by  example,  mu(h  mav  be  accora- 
plished  in  this^  as  in  all  other  departments  of  learning,  nor 


16 

sliould  the  younji;  be  consi'^ered  more  competont  to  instruct 
themselvfis  in  Elocution,  than  in  Grammar  and  Aiithmotick. 

Not  all  persons,  it  may  bo  confessed,  are  "  apt  to  teach;'''' 
but  all  persons  may  be  taught.  The  insiructer  who  occa- 
sionally reads  to  bis  pupils,  will  find  himself  in  the  way  of 
improvement.  By  exposing  himself  to  their  obseivation  and 
criticism,  in  this  way,  he  will  be  stimulated  to  greater  exer- 
tions, and  aim  at  his/her  qualifications.  "  Thou  that  teachest 
another,  teachest  thou  not  thyself  1" 

li  was  no  part  of  the  plan  adopted  in  this  brief  lecture, 
Mr.  President,  to  treat,  even  were  the  ability  not  wanting, 
of 'he  hiiifher  matters  which  relate  to  Elocution.  These  in- 
volve coiisideratioris  of  sufficient  importance  to  demand  a 
more  elaborate  treatise  from  an  abler  hand.  To  commence 
Willi  the  foundation,  and  to  lay  one  stone  upon  another,  till 
the  edifice,  how  humble  soever,  should  be  complete,  was  the 
object  kept  steadily  in  view,  rather  than  exterior  embellish- 
ment and  fanciful  decoration.  What  is  merely  or.'iamental 
and  "iliowy,  will  piss  nwiv  :  wiiai  is  of  siihsiami  .1  advantage, 
and  ot  practical  utility,  may  be  expected  to  endure. 


:#/xt:P|iK|il|®ift^^ 


